Gambling on the Edge in Alberta

Alberta is Canada's gambling hotbed. In this article, the author explores the preoccupation of Albertans with this form of entertainment and discusses recent events related to gambling in this province. These include the divisive community video lottery terminal (VLT) debate, hotel operators lobbying for gambling expansion, the government's role in Internet gambling and the increasing reliance of charities on gambling revenues. The author concludes by forecasting four "gambling megatrends" based on experiences from this bellwether province: gambling in Canada will continue to expand in the foreseeable future; a high-tech gambling future will include Internet gambling in the home; special "gaming rooms" and "mini-casinos" will appear in hotels and convention centres; and charitable organizations will increasingly depend on gambling revenues for their good works.